As an authentic sports institution, TK Partizan represents a concentrate of excellence dating back to its foundation in 1952. in the the House of the Yugoslav People’s Army JNA – Partizan, an organization that deals with other sports segments, hosted numerous international sports and tennis events. Our courts were visited by legendary tennis players from the past, as well as those who are currently at the top of the world rankings, such as Novak Djokovic, who is the best world player of all time. The tennis school at the Club has been active since its foundation and is an incubator for young talents, both in Yugoslavia and in Serbia, creating regional sport, culture and historical heritage.
The tennis school in the club has been active since its foundation and is an incubator for young talents, both in Yugoslavia and in Serbia, creating regional sport, culture and historical heritage.
The tennis section in the then Home of the Yugoslav People’s Army was founded way back in 1945. year, and seven years later it grew into a Club within the JNA Partizan Sports Association, so that the Partizan Tennis Club has practically existed for almost seventy years.
It should be remembered that in the year when the tennis section was founded, the Second World War had just ended, in which our country suffered heavily. Belgrade, where the Tennis Club was born, was badly damaged by several bombs. The tennis courts could be counted on one hand, i.e. there were four playgrounds at the Kalemegdan Park that belonged to the Club, the courts at Tašmajdan, where today there is a large swimming pool, and some other courts, mostly on someone’s nationalized private property, it was what the state could do. to offer at that time. The newly formed state with the policy of classifying tennis as a sport of the decadent bourgeoisie made the development of tennis terribly difficult, so the choice of this branch of sport automatically drew repeated views and comments, as well as certain troubles, which remained for a long time. For this reason, the existence of the Club within the sports collective of the official army of the new state created an opportunity for the gradual return of tennis as an equal member of the sports family and gave an impetus to the establishment of other similar clubs throughout the country, and perhaps the greatest credit for this belongs to the then holders of the new government, who have themselves accepted tennis as a sport for their recreation.
The lack of pitches in Serbia, and especially in Belgrade, was significantly alleviated when, in 1952, a magnificent sports center, known today as Partizan’s Stadium, sprang up around the JNA football stadium. The new 12 courts meant the doubling of the existing number of courts in the city and the complete opening of tennis for Belgrade’s youth as well as for older residents. The possibility of holding large tournaments also developed, which testifies to the fact that tennis in Yugoslavia, especially in Serbia and Belgrade, has developed significantly.
Partizan Tennis Club made a big sensation in 1954. by bringing the then most famous tennis professionals, when the southern part of the football stadium was turned into a tennis arena, allowing 20,000 spectators to see the world tennis masters. It was not difficult to gather those spectators, because they remembered the pre-war tennis successes of our national team, refreshed by the post-war fantastic results of Yugoslavia in the Davis Cup. In the new tennis park, TK Partizan took the lead by establishing a real tennis school with over 400 students, which was an example for other clubs, so a significant step was taken in creating new players. At one point, TK Partizan and the school gathered over 1,000 members.
In the following years, the Club won the Yugoslav team championship in both men’s and women’s competitions, and its members became individual state champions. Many talented young men and women from other clubs came to TK Partizan because of the well-designed training program, good coaches and strong competition. However, all this takes place in objectively modest conditions, when it was difficult to get the necessary equipment and when the rooms under the east stand of the football stadium were used as changing rooms.
Much later, the Club gets its premises next to the field, still unsuitable for a Club that organizes interstate meetings and tournaments of the highest rank, but far better than the previous ones.
Today, the Club is in the process of building a tennis stadium, and the construction of a new club building is slowly being realized to the extent that economic conditions allow. The idea behind this is for the Club to finally get a suitable facility with modern necessary facilities such as changing rooms, medical center, restaurant and other necessary facilities that enable TK Partizan to continue raising world-class players, as well as providing conditions for recreational members – as well as for various social gatherings.